Combination cigarette case and lighter



F. A. wHlTTAKER i,921,855 I COMBINATION CIGARETTE CASE AND LIGHTER Filed Dec, 17, 1932 I fiz/ew'c M) i r Z -WKZZAW v Patented Aug. 8, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT? OFFICE COMBINATION CIGARETTE cAsE AND LIGHTER Application December 17, 1932. Serial No. 647,770

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a combined pyrophoric lighter and cigarette case, and more particularly to the actuating devices for the lighter and their relation to the case.-

When a cigarette case or the like is held in the hand in the most natural and convenient position for use, the thumb most naturally rests at the side of the case near one of the upper corners. An ordinary actuating lever mounted on top of the case, such as is commonly used on the conventional types of pyrophoric lighters, would not only be mechanically awkward, but furthermore would detract from the design and appearance of the case, and also would present undesirable projections which would interfere with the article as a pocket case.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a combined pyrophoric lighter and, case which is of simple design and construction, and which is of attractive appearance, free from the aforementioned objectionable features.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lighter actuating mechanism having a number of parts, which may be economically manufactured and easily assembled, which mechanism is eflicient and reliable in operation, and which is a marked improvement over similar types heretofore used.

Further objects relate to the, operation and details of construction and will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and accompanying drawing which exemplifies one ieiiribodiment chosen for the purpose of illustra- In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a combined cigarette case and pyrophoric lighter;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of .th article;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation viewed from the right of Fig. 1; I

Fig. 4 and Fig.- 4* are enlarged rear and side elevations, respectively, of the slide and cam members and the thumb-piece providing a collapsible corner for the case;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse vertical section through the lighter housing showing the ignition mechanism in elevationwith the snufier Y arm-in elevated position;

Fig. 6 is a view similar t6 Fig. 5 with parts broken away and showing the snuifer arm in e M. \snuffing position;

i I I Fig. 8 is a section, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, the case comprises a continuous back wall 10 which extends across the top as shown at 11, and down the front side to provide the front wall 12 of the housing which encloses the lighter mechanism. Below the housing the case provides a compartment for cigarettes, which compartment is provided with a lid 13 hinged to the case at 14 and held latched by the usual spring catch 15. The upper righthand corner of the case is cut pff diagonally, as shown at 16, to provide a corner aperture 17.

The lighter proper .is-house'd within the upper portion of the case, and comprises an elongate fuel receptacle 18 having at one end a threaded opening throughwhich it may be filled,

' and a screw cap 19. Mounted on the top of the receptacle is a burner 20 having the usual wick which extends into the fuel receptacle, a pyro- 7 phoric member 21 juxtaposed to the burner, and a serrated friction wheel 22 in engagement with the pyrophoric member 21 and journaled between a pair of upstanding ears 23-23 integral with the side walls of the fuel receptacle.

An arm 25 is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on shaft 26 supported by the ears 2323, and on one end supports a snuffer 2'! in the form of a cup which fits over the burner 20. A curved rack 28 pivotally connected to the arm 25 at 29, intermediate the snuifer and shaft 26, extends downwardly, as shown in Figs. 5 to '7, beyond a ratchet wheel 30 which is juxtaposed to the friction wheel" 22 and fast to the same shaft. The rack 28 is yieldingly held against 9 the ratchet wheel 30 by a light spring 31 so that the teeth of the rack are normally held in engagement with those of the ratchet wheel.

- When the arm 25 is swung upwardly on the shaft 26, the snufier 27 is lifted from the burner and .95 simultaneously the toothed rack 28, moving upwardly in engagement with the ratchet wheel 30, rotates the friction wheel 22 and causes a shower of sparks to be emitted from the pyropho'ric member 21 for lighting the wick. A coil spring 32 surrounding the shaft 26 effects return movement of the arm 25 from its elevated position and normally holds the same in snufling position; as shown in Fig. 6.

The opposite end of arm 25 is provided with 9. depending portion, here shown as a bifurcate member 35 adapted to swing downwardly toward the receptacle, as shown in Fig. 5. A

roller 36 (Fig. 8) is journaled between the wings of the member 35 andconstitutes a cam follower. The top'of the fuel receptacle 18 is recessed at one end, as shown in Fig. 8, to provide a slideway 38 which extends toward th'eleft as viewed in Figs. .5 and 6 A slide member 39 snugly fits within the slideway 38 and carriesan upstanding wing 40 (Fig. 4) whose forward edge is downwardly and rearwardly inclined as-shown at 41 to, form a cam. A plate 42having a central longitudinally extending slot 43, to receive the wing 40, retains the slide member within the slideway; Q

A thumb-piece 45 is rigidly secured'to the outer end of the slide member, andis preferably in the form of a hollow shell of substantially triangular shape in elevation and of asize conforming to one of the corners of the case, so

as to fill out and replace its cut off comer. The

thumb-piece and slide member-are so constructed and arranged that the cam 41 continuously engages the follower 36, and when the arm is in snufilng position, the thumb-piece is flush against the end of the case, as shown in Fig. 6, thus normally closing the aperture 17. Movement of the-thumb-piece toward the left causes the cam 41 to swing the follower 36 downwardly and actuate the ignition mechanism in the manner previously described. The thumb-piece not being attached toeither the snuffer armor follower is free to move independently in an outward direction and its withdrawal through the corner aperture is prevented by the engagechanges in shape, proportion and arrangement of parts, as well asthe substitution of equivalent a elements for those herein shown and described,

may be made without departing from the spirit -and scope of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims. A

I claim:

1. Ina lighter of the type a fuel-re ceptacle, a burner, 'asnufier, and ignition means including pyrophoric and friction members housed within a casing having a cut off corner providing acorner aperture in the casing, actuatirig means for operating said friction member and shutter comprising an arm, one end of which supports said snuffer'and is arranged to swing upwardly away from said burner, the other end of said arm having a depending portion, constituting a cam-follower and arranged to swing downwardly-toward said receptacle, means'connected to said am for actuating said friction member when said am is swung u'pwardly, means for effecting the return movement of said and normally holding the same insnufllngJposition, means disposed on, the top wall of said receptacle providing a slideway which extends transversely of said casing,

-a cam member enmeable with said follower and movable along said slideway to effect the actuation of said and a thumb-piece secured to saidcam, said'thumb-piece normally closing said a'perture'in the casing and consti- -tuting a collapsible corner thereof whose outer. surface is substantially continuomwith that of thecasing. 2.1na li hter of the-ty ehavincafucl nected to said arm intermediate its pivotal axis 'tuating means for operating said friction member and snuffer comprising an arm pivoted about ceptacle, a burner, a snuffer, and ignition means including pyro'phoric and friction members .housed within a casing having a cut off corner providing a corner aperture in said casing,actuating means for operating said friction member 'and snufler comprising an arm, one end of which supports said snuffer and is adapted to swing upwardly away from said burner about an axis intermediate its ends,the opposite end of said arm having a depending portion constituting a cam; follower and adapted to swing downwardly toward said receptacle, means'connected to said arm intermediate its pivotal axis and. said snuifer for actuating said friction member when-said arm is swung upwardly, resilient means for eflecting return movement of saidarm and normally holding the same in snufllng position, means disposed on the top wall-of said receptacle providing a slideway which'extends transversely of said casing, a slide member disposed in said slideway, said slide member having one end cut at an angle to provide a cam engageablewith said follower and operable to swing said depending portion downwardly when said slide member is moved inwardly toward said axis, and a thumb-piece secured to the opposite end of said slide member, said thumb-piece normally closing said aperture in the casing and constituting a collapsible corner thereof whose outer surface is substantially continuous with m that of the casing. 1 3. In a lighter of the type having a fuel receptacle, a burner, a snuffer, and ignition means including pyrophoric and friction members housed within a casing having a .cut off corner providing a corner aperture in said casing, actuating means for-operating said friction member and snuifer comprising an arm pivoted aboutan axis intermediate its ends, oneend of said arm supporting said snuifer and arranged to swing upwardly away from said burner, the opposite end of said arm having a depending portion con stituting a cam follower and arranged to swing downwardly toward said receptacle, means conand said snufler for actuating said friction member when said arm is] swung upwardly, means disposed on the top wall of said receptacle pro-.-

viding a slideway in alignment with the path of movement of said follower, a slidefmember disposed in said slideway, said slide member having a projecting portion cut at an angle to provide a cam engageable with said follower and operthumb-piece secured to said slide member, said thumb-piece normally closing said aperture in. the caslng and constituting a collapsible corner -ableto effect .the actuation of said am,- and a thereof whose outer surfaceis substantially continuous with that of the casing.

Q 4. In a lighter ofthe type havinga fuel receptacle, a burner, a snuifer, and ignition means including 'pyrophoric and friction -m embers-. housed within a casing having a cut oil corner providing a corner apertm'e in said casing, ac-- an intermediate its ends,-one end of said arm; supporting said snuifer and arranged toupwardly away from said burner, the opv pomte end of-said 'a'bifurcated depending portion arranged to swing downwardly toward said receptacle, a roller journaled in said bifurcated portion, I said roller constituting a cam follower, means connected to said arm for actuating said friction member when said arm is swung upwardly, means disposed on the top wall of said receptacle providing a slideway in alignment with the path of movement of said follower, a cam member movable along said slideway and engageable with said follower to effect the actuation of said arm in response to movement of said cam, and a thumb-piece secured to said cam, said thumb-piece normally closing said aperture in the casing and constituting a collapsible corner thereof whose outer sur-' face is substantially continuous with that of the casing. p

5. In a lighter of the type having a fuel receptacle, a burner, a snufier, and ignition means including pyrophoric and friction members housed within a casing having a cut off corner providing a corner aperture in the casing, actuating means for operating said friction member and snufier comprising an arm, one end of. which supports said snuifer and is arranged to swing upwardly away from said burner, the other end of said am having a depending portion constituting a cam follower and arranged to swing downwardly toward said receptacle, means connected to said arm for actuating said'friction member when said am is swung upwardly, means for effecting the return movement of said arm and normally holding the same in snufllng position, a horizontal slideway on the top wall of the receptacle below and to the rear of the cam follower, a horizontal slide plate mounted in said slideway, an upright cam plate above the slide plate having a cam at its forward end.

cooperating with the cam follower, and a thumbpiece secured to the cam plate and slide plate normally closing the corner aperture inthe casing and constituting a collapsible comer thereof whose outer surface is substantially continuous with that of the casing.

6. In a lighter of the type having a fuel receptacle, a burner, a snuffer, and ignition means including pyrophoric and friction members housed within a casing having a cut of! corner providing a corner aperture in the casing, ac-

tuating means for operating said friction member and snuffer comprising an arm, one end of which supports said snuffer and is arranged to swing upwardly away from said burner, the other end of said armhaving a depending portion constituting a cam follower and arranged to swing downwardly toward said receptacle, means connected to said arm for actuating said friction member when said arm is swung upwardly; means for effecting the return movement of said arm and normally holding thesame in snufilng position, a horizontal slideway on the top wall of the receptacle below and to the rear of the cam follower, a horizontal slide plate mounted in said slideway, an upright cam plate above the slide plate having a cam at its 

